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Salisbury was almost as surprised by Alinor's tone as she had been by his. Indignation passed almost instantly into indulgence. She does care for Ian, he thought, and she is overset by worry. "Do you wish me to instruct your man?" he asked kindly. |
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That question nearly turned Alinor to stone, but in the next moment she could not help laughing. "He would not obey you," she said. "No servant of mine would obey that kind of order unless it came from me. A fine state I should be in if my servants would obey any lordly seeming man who gave them an order. I would not permit you to be insulted, my lord, but in a less anxious moment, if you will dress one of your men in fine garments, you can watch what my servants will do upon my order, even as you bid them cease. I promise you, I will call a halt before murder is done, but that they would do also, if I bid them." |
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The full impact of Alinor's remarks had not hit Salisbury because he had been watching Beorn arrive at a dead run. He had thought, until Beorn spoke, that this must be some urgent news. Then he realized it was a normal response to a sharp order given by this woman. |
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"If the reavers that Lord Ian captured were to turn upon him, how many men would you need to quell them?" Alinor asked Beorn. |
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The master-at-arms looked startled. "Them? Lady, now that Sthat their leader is gone, a rabbit with a loud squeak could put them to flight." |
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Alinor frowned. If Beorn was so sure, whatever danger there was, if there was any at all, did not come from the prisoners. Ian had kept only his few Welshmen and northerns with him, and she feared a rebellion of the captives could have overwhelmed them. Beorn did not suffer from the vainglory of a young knight who thought he could conquer the world, however. If anything, he was overcautious when asked for an opinion. Thus, if he said the captured reavers were no threat, they were |
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